Kristine Stavås Skistad is aiming for gold in the Olympic sprint on Tuesday. But several observers point to a decisive crux that could shatter the gold dream and instead pave the way for another Swedish victory.

Kristine Stavås Skistad was confident during the press conference where the Olympic sprint team was presented.

“You go out to win. That goes without saying,” said the 27-year-old.

“You enter a kind of battle mode and are ready to get the best out of yourself. You have to go all in.”

Also Read: Program for cross-country skiing at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

The course could crush the gold dream

Several people, both experts and athletes, were surprised when the Olympic course was tested for the first time during the Tour de Ski. With a race time of nearly four minutes, it is unusually long. And for a skier like Skistad, whose main strength is explosiveness, this is far from ideal.

“I think it’s too demanding a course for Kristine to win gold on. I would clearly place at least three of the Swedes ahead of her,” says NRK cross-country skiing expert Pål Golberg.

The Swedish team will consist of reigning World Champion Jonna Sundling, Linn Svahn, and Maja Dahlqvist, plus Johanna Hagström.

Skistad has won two sprint races this season, the classic sprint at the World Cup opener in Ruka in November and the freestyle sprint in Toblach during the Tour de Ski in December.

At last year’s World Championship sprint in Trondheim, Skistad took silver, while Sweden’s Jonna Sundling won gold. That result did not sit well with the Norwegian sprint star.

Critical of the distance

Skistad’s coach, Lage Sofienlund, has said he finds it unreasonable that women race the same distance as the men. He believes a race time of 2:45 to 3:15 would be more appropriate for a sprint.

Skistad fell ill toward the end of the Tour de Ski and therefore did not get to test the course during the final rehearsal. However, she has studied the course thoroughly, and in recent weeks she has adjusted her training.

“She was quick to adapt based on what she saw. You must train for what you want to be good at. I won’t say more, but she has trained well in recent weeks,” national team coach Sjur Ole Svarstad tells SVT, according to Langrenn.com.

Skistad says she feels ready.

“Now I’ll just take it as it comes, and we can have that debate later.”

Uncertainty ahead of the Olympic sprint

An additional element of uncertainty has emerged. On Monday morning, Skistad left the course with visible injuries after a heavy crash in the final training session before the Olympic sprint.

During training on the sprint course, Skistad ran into trouble in the final corner and fell together with Ingrid Bergene Aabrekk. The latter takes responsibility for the crash.

“It was in the final corner that I really face-planted. Then I brought Skistad with me, and everyone went down,” Aabrekk told TV 2.

“I hope she (Stavås Skistad) wasn’t hurt any worse. She says she’s fine,” Aabrekk adds.

Shortly afterward, Skistad put her training top back on and calmly returned to the course.

According to national team doctor Ove Feragen, everything should be fine.

“Some scrapes, otherwise, she’s okay,” Feragen wrote in a text message to VG.

It remains to be seen whether the fall will affect Skistad’s performance at the Olympics.

The sprint on Tuesday begins with the women’s prologue at 09:15 CET.

In addition to Kristine Stavås Skistad, Ingrid Bergene Aabrekk, Julie Bjervig Drivenes, and Milla Grosberghaugen Andreassen will also compete.

FACTS 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games – Cross-Country Skiing

• When: Saturday 7, to Sunday, February 22, 2026
• Who: Elite national skiers – women and men
• Where: Val di Fiemme, Italy
• What: Milano-Cortina 2026

Saturday, February 7: 20km Skiathlon C/F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 13:00 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Women

Sunday, February 8: 20km Skiathlon C/F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:30 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Men

Tuesday, February 10: Sprint C Women and Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 9:15 CET: Sprint Quali C, Women
• 9:15 CET: Sprint Quali C, Men
• 11:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Women
• 11:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Men

Thursday, February 12: 10km Interval Start F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 13:00 CET: 10km Interval F, Women

Friday, February 13: 10km Interval Start F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 11:45 CET: 10km Interval F, Men

Saturday, February 14: 4×7.5km Relay C/F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay C/F, Women

Sunday, February 15: 4×7.5km Relay C/F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay C/F, Men

Wednesday, February 18: Team Sprint Women and Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 9:45 CET: Team Sprint F Quali, Women
• 9:45 CET: Team Sprint F Quali, Men
• 11:45 CET: Team Sprint F, Women
• 11:45 CET: Team Sprint F, Men

Saturday, February 21: 50km Mass Start C Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 11:00 CET: 50km Mass Start C, Men

Sunday, February 22: 50km Mass Start C Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 10:00 CET: 50km Mass Start C, Women

Complete program for the Winter Olympic Games can be found HERE

Val di Fiemme, a classic Nordic skiing venue, promises thrilling racing on courses steeped in Olympic history. Fans around the World will have the chance to cheer on athletes across all distances, from explosive sprints to grueling marathons.

Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.